Patterns of diversification and timing of evolution within Neoaves, which includes almost 95% of all bird species, are virtually unknown. On the other hand, molecular data consistently indicate a Cretaceous origin of many neoavian lineages and the fossil record seems to support an Early Tertiary diversification. Here, we present the first well-resolved… (More)

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships among the major lineages of the avian family Sturnidae and their placement within the Muscicapoidea clade using two nuclear (RAG-1 and myoglobin) and one mitochondrial gene (ND2). Among Muscicapoidea, we recovered three clades corresponding to the families Cinclidae, Muscicapidae and Sturnidae (sensu [Sibley,… (More)

During the past decade, a large number of multi-gene analyses aimed at resolving the phylogenetic relationships within Decapoda. However relationships among families, and even among sub-families, remain poorly defined. Most analyses used an incomplete and opportunistic sampling of species, but also an incomplete and opportunistic gene selection among those… (More)

Since its introduction in France 10 years ago, the yellow-legged Asian bee-hawking hornet Vespa velutina has rapidly spread to neighboring countries (Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, and Germany), becoming a new threat to beekeeping activities. While introduced species often leave behind natural enemies from their original home, which benefits them in their… (More)

Despite increased understanding of higher-level relationships in passerine birds in the last 15 years, the taxonomic boundaries and phylogenetic interrelationships of the major groups of the Tyrannida (including the cotingas, manakins, tityrines, and tyrant flycatchers) remain unclear. Here, we present an analysis of DNA sequence data obtained from two… (More)

The Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri), native of Asia and Africa, is a very successful invasive species in Europe: it has been present there for over 50 years. A recent study showed that European invasive populations occupy a colder climatic niche than in their native range but the establishment of this tropical species in temperate regions remains… (More)